SS Orduna
Encyclopedia
SS Orduna was an ocean liner
built in 1913-14 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company
. After two voyages she was chartered to Cunard Line
. In 1921 she went to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company
, then being resold to the PSNCo in 1926. Her sister ships were the RMSP Orbita
and SS Orca.
She provided transatlantic passenger transport, measured approximately 15,500 gross tons
, and was 550.3 ft x 67.3 ft.
running from Halifax, Canada to Liverpool with notables such as Quentin Roosevelt
on board.
In January 1915 Orduna rescued the Russian crew of the sailing ship Loch Torridon, which had sprung a leak while transporting timber off the west coast of Ireland
. Later in 1915, en-route for New York
, Orduna was targeted by a U-boat
. The torpedo failed to hit the ship, which arrived safely.
In 1918 Orduna collided with the 4,406 ton steamer Konkary, carrying a cargo of ballast from Queenstown
to Trinidad
. Konkary was lost in the accident.
Clitha, which had been abandoned and set on fire, to England after they had been rescued by the schooner
Jean Campbell.
In 1925, Dean James E. Lough of the Extra-Mural Division of the New York University chartered Orduna for the transport of 213 students to France, with lectures taking place on board.
In 1938 the Orduna was used for the third and final 'Peace Cruise', carrying 460 Scouters and Guider
s, including Robert and Olave Baden-Powell
, and their daughter Heather, on a cruise to Iceland
, Norway
, Denmark
and Belgium
. Orduna left Liverpool
on 8 August, returning on 25 August via Dover
.
Robert Baden-Powell was too ill to leave the ship during the voyage, but parties of local Scouts visited him on the ship at most of the stops, while the Scouters and Guiders on the ship took the opportunity to tour local landmarks and attend receptions. During the stop at Reykjavík
on Thursday, 11 August, during which Orduna moored beside the German cruiser Emden
, a party from the Scouts of Iceland
brought some rock on board so that Baden-Powell could still 'set foot in Iceland'. The Orduna called at Trondheim
, Norway, on 15 August, Copenhagen
, Denmark on 18 August, and Belgium on Sunday 21 August, before returning to England.
, the United States and Canada
, Orduna was refused permission to land 40 refugees at Havana.
With the need for military transport in the Second World War
, in 1941 she was put into service by the British
government as a troopship
. Another task during the Second World War was that of an evacuation transport.. On 21 September 1945 she sailed from Rangoon with British former Far East Prisoners of War onboard, arriving in Liverpool on 19 October 1945. Military transport continued until 1949.
in Egypt on the Orduna, said to include overcrowding and poor food, were raised with the Secretary of State for War.
, Scotland
.
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
built in 1913-14 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company
Pacific Steam Navigation Company
The Pacific Steam Navigation Company was a commercial shipping company that operated in the Pacific coast of South America, and was the first to use steam ships for commercial traffic in the Pacific Ocean.-History:...
. After two voyages she was chartered to Cunard Line
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
. In 1921 she went to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company
Royal Mail Steam Packet Company
The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company was a British shipping company founded in London in 1839 by Scot James Macqueen. After good and bad times it became the largest shipping group in the world in 1927 when it took over the White Star Line....
, then being resold to the PSNCo in 1926. Her sister ships were the RMSP Orbita
SS Orbita
Orbita was an ocean liner built in 1913-14 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company. She was launched from Harland & Wolff ship-yard, on Tuesday the 7th of July 1914 at 1115 GMT...
and SS Orca.
She provided transatlantic passenger transport, measured approximately 15,500 gross tons
Tonnage
Tonnage is a measure of the size or cargo carrying capacity of a ship. The term derives from the taxation paid on tuns or casks of wine, and was later used in reference to the weight of a ship's cargo; however, in modern maritime usage, "tonnage" specifically refers to a calculation of the volume...
, and was 550.3 ft x 67.3 ft.
First World War
Orduna was pressed into service as an auxiliary cruiser and troop transport in the First World WarWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
running from Halifax, Canada to Liverpool with notables such as Quentin Roosevelt
Quentin Roosevelt
Quentin Roosevelt was the youngest and favorite son of President Theodore Roosevelt. Family and friends agreed that Quentin had many of his father's positive qualities and few of the negative ones. Inspired by his father and siblings, he joined the United States Army Air Service where he became a...
on board.
In January 1915 Orduna rescued the Russian crew of the sailing ship Loch Torridon, which had sprung a leak while transporting timber off the west coast of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Later in 1915, en-route for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Orduna was targeted by a U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
. The torpedo failed to hit the ship, which arrived safely.
In 1918 Orduna collided with the 4,406 ton steamer Konkary, carrying a cargo of ballast from Queenstown
Cobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
to Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
. Konkary was lost in the accident.
Between the wars
In April 1923 she was involved in another rescue, transporting the crew of the barquentineBarquentine
A barquentine is a sailing vessel with three or more masts; with a square rigged foremast and fore-and-aft rigged main, mizzen and any other masts.-Modern barquentine sailing rig:...
Clitha, which had been abandoned and set on fire, to England after they had been rescued by the schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
Jean Campbell.
In 1925, Dean James E. Lough of the Extra-Mural Division of the New York University chartered Orduna for the transport of 213 students to France, with lectures taking place on board.
In 1938 the Orduna was used for the third and final 'Peace Cruise', carrying 460 Scouters and Guider
Guider
Guider is a city situated in Cameroon's North Province, close to the border with Chad. It has a population of 110,240. The city is home to Espérance FC of the Cameroon Premiere Division.- References :*...
s, including Robert and Olave Baden-Powell
Olave Baden-Powell
Olave St Clair Baden-Powell, Baroness Baden-Powell, GBE was born Olave St Clair Soames in Chesterfield, England...
, and their daughter Heather, on a cruise to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Orduna left Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
on 8 August, returning on 25 August via Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
.
Robert Baden-Powell was too ill to leave the ship during the voyage, but parties of local Scouts visited him on the ship at most of the stops, while the Scouters and Guiders on the ship took the opportunity to tour local landmarks and attend receptions. During the stop at Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
on Thursday, 11 August, during which Orduna moored beside the German cruiser Emden
German cruiser Emden
The German light cruiser Emden was the only ship of its class. The third cruiser to bear the name Emden was the first new warship built in Germany after World War I....
, a party from the Scouts of Iceland
Bandalag íslenskra skáta
Bandalag íslenskra skáta is the national Scouting and Guiding organization of Iceland. Scouting was founded in Iceland in 1912 and was among the earlier members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1924...
brought some rock on board so that Baden-Powell could still 'set foot in Iceland'. The Orduna called at Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Norway, on 15 August, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark on 18 August, and Belgium on Sunday 21 August, before returning to England.
Second World War
During the 1939 "Voyage of the Damned" affair, where German Jewish refugees were refused entry into CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, the United States and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Orduna was refused permission to land 40 refugees at Havana.
With the need for military transport in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1941 she was put into service by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government as a troopship
Troopship
A troopship is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime...
. Another task during the Second World War was that of an evacuation transport.. On 21 September 1945 she sailed from Rangoon with British former Far East Prisoners of War onboard, arriving in Liverpool on 19 October 1945. Military transport continued until 1949.
Post-Second World War
In 1947 conditions for troops returning from Port SaidPort Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
in Egypt on the Orduna, said to include overcrowding and poor food, were raised with the Secretary of State for War.
Demise
Orduna was decommissioned and laid up in November 1950 and dismantled the following year in DalmuirDalmuir
Dalmuir is an area on the western side of Clydebank, in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.-Location:It is neighboured by the village of Old Kilpatrick, the Mountblow and Parkhall areas of Clydebank, as well as the town centre...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.